Adding the nursing home experience to your life is a real eye-opener.

My mother has been at NHC for a little over a month, and it now looks like she'll be there a while. So we are making sure that she receives regular family visits. I'm not sure she cares all that much about seeing us, but she definitely continues to ask, "Where are my babies?" every time anyone comes in without them. (And with Cat working there, she's getting the the question five days a week.)

So at least on Wednesday and Sunday, we all come to see MeMo - Tom and I, Cat and Scott and, of course, Cade and Payton.

It has been fun to watch how Cade has adapted to the new surroundings. Payton, of course, just knows that she sees her MeMo, and it makes her laugh and bat her baby blues at her. But now, Payton is beginning to realize that when we come in, and everyone is eating dinner, she then has 20-or-so residents in the Jasmine wing who all smile as soon as they see her laughing and smiling. It is impossible to resist cute little baby faces. She definitely is doing her part to brighten the residents' day.

Cade, of course, had more potential for being intimidated by the new surroundings. However, it did not take long for him to see the advantages of his surroundings as well. After only a couple of visits, he realized that the adults in his life would likely let him take the lead and work his magic on all the doors. Realize that all the doors are handicapped accessible, so either open automatically or open with the push of a wall panel. Cade now must open the doors for us - and why not. If it makes him feel at home, it's worth it.

He enjoys the wide hallways, and struts into the wing where MeMo is staying. He's learned she will ride him in her lap up and down the halls in her wheelchair, plus there are lots chair options in the various sitting areas.

And Cade is learning to deal with the other residents' personalities. He knows what to expect of MeMo, but he's come upon a few people who like to talk to him. One feisty lady scared him at first with her demands that he come over to her; however, Cade quickly realized that in many of her demands or threats, she's really just playing with him. Now, he will come close enough to let her shake his hand. And just this past Sunday, another resident wanted Cade to give him a high-five. Cade played the shy child briefly, but again quickly realized the gentleman just wanted to speak to him, so he ran over and high-fived him as we sat and talked.

We are obviously trying to instill in Cade the need to respect others and to respect the property at the care facility, so when he wanted to play the piano in the sitting area, we were, at first reluctant. When encouraged to do so by the staff, we discovered that while Cade doesn't really play yet, he does understand the need to attempt to play a tune, not to bang on the piano. His mom will sit with him and is now trying to teach him Chopstix or something equally as simple.

My only concern now is that Cade is familiar enough that he wants to go door-to-door to greet each resident on MeMo's hall.